[Die Trepp' hinunter geschwungen]1 
  Komm' ich in vollem Lauf, 
Die Trepp' [empor gesprungen]2
  Kommt er und fängt mich auf.
Und wo die [Treppe]3 so dunkel ist, 
Haben wir vielmal uns geküßt, 
  [Und]4 Niemand hat's [gesehen]5.

Ich komm' in den Saal gegangen, 
  Da wimmelt's von Gästen bunt, 
Wohl glühten mir die Wangen,
  Wohl glühte mir auch der Mund.
Ich meint', es säh' mir's jeder an, 
Was wir da mit einander gethan --
  Doch niemand hat's [gesehen]5.

Ich [mußt']6 hinaus in den Garten, 
  Und wollte die Blumen sehn, 
Ich konnt' es nicht erwarten,
  In den Garten hinaus zu gehn.
Da blühten die Rosen überall, 
Da sangen die Vögel mit lautem Schall,
  Als hätten sie's [gesehen]5.

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Confirmed with Lust und Leid im Liede. Neuere deutsche Lyrik ausgewählt von Hedwig Dohm und F. Brunold, Leipzig und Berlin, Verlag von R. F. Albrecht, 1879, page 121.

¹ Strauss: "Die Treppe hinunter gesprungen"; Meyer-Helmund: "Die Treppe heruntergeschwungen" (further changes for Meyer-Helmund may exist not shown above)
² Loewe: "hinunter geschwungen"
³ Strauss: "Trepp' "
⁴ Strauss: "Doch"
⁵ Strauss: "geseh'n"
⁶ Strauss: "musste"

Text Authorship:

• by Otto Friedrich Gruppe (1804 - 1876), "Begegnung", first published 1835 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

• by Hugo Berger , "Niemand hat's geseh'n", published 1888 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Raabe & Plothow [sung text not yet checked]
• by Emil Hartmann (1836 - 1898), "Begegnung", op. 35a no. 1, published 1885, first performed 1885 [ voice and piano ], from Lieder und Gesänge, no. 1, confirmed with a CD booklet [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Julius Kniese (1848 - 1905), "Begegnung", op. 2 (Fünf Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1876 [ voice and piano ], Dresden, Ries [sung text not yet checked]
• by Carl Loewe (1796 - 1869), "Niemand hat's gesehn", op. 9, Heft 10 no. 4 (1838) [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Erik Meyer-Helmund (1861 - 1932), "Niemand hat's geseh'n", published 1899 [ voice and piano ], Wien, Gutmann [sung text not yet checked]
• by Richard Georg Strauss (1864 - 1949), "Begegnung", WoO. 72 (1880) [sung text checked 1 time]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

• CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ENG English [singable] (Anonymous/Unidentified Artist) , "Nobody saw"
• FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "J'ai dégringolé les escaliers", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Alberto Pedrotti , Lau Kanen [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2011-12-27
Line count: 21
Word count: 123

A down the stairway bounding, came I with laughter gay, 
and springing up to meet me, came he the other way.
And in the shadow so dark and grim, 
he held me close, so close to him 
and kiss'd me once and kiss'd me twice 
and kiss'd me thrice!
I hope that no one saw! I hope that no one saw! I hope that no one saw!

My guilty cheeks were burning as I in the parlor came, 
to smiling guests a turning, my heart all filled with shame.
I thought "Ah, me, they have seen it all! 
Their scorn on me this moment should fall! 
Ah, me, ah marry! what shall I do? 
His folly he will shall rue!"
I'm sure that no one saw! I'm sure that no one saw! I'm sure that no one saw!

I in the Garden hid me where bright the flowers shone, 
for laughing glances chid me and I must be alone.
The roses a blushing, hid their face. 
The sweet birds were twittering of my disgrace,
I care not if they saw! 
I care not if they saw! 
I care not if they saw!